Can I Recycle My AA Batteries In New Zealand?

battery-recycling

I’m not talking about car batteries – those you can take to any metal recycler and get about $2 for them.

I’m talking about non-rechargeable AA batteries (and battery sizes AAA, C and D).

All my AA’s are rechargeable except for the ones that come free sometimes with some electronics.

Like me, do you feel guilty when the non-rechargeable batteries are spent, and you throw them in the bin?

I’ve been told that especially the ones with mercury in them are hazardous to the environment, so what can we do with them?

Can we recycle them?

And more importantly is it free to do so? (If I have to courier them somewhere or drive 10km out of my way to deliver them to a collection point, forget it.  I’ll just throw them in the bin).

So what’s the solution?

I propose that household batteries are added to the list of items we can add to our recycling bins.  Surely someone can make a few dollars down the line by harvesting the metals from them?

What do you think?